BACKROADS

 

I have always loved backroads because when I was growing up one of the family’s fun things to do – usually on a Sunday – was go for a drive out in the country and Dad & Mom were always curious about side roads wondering where they led to, and I inherited their curiosity about that.  So wherever we’ve lived over the years, I’ve delighted in finding the backroads in the area and today I’m showing you a couple of backroads I’ve been on in the area where I currently live.

Rock Creek Road out of Milton, Calif.  My great Grandfather, J.K. Smedley, took this road in 1874 on his way to Yosemite, and I traced his route in 1990 – driving this little one-lane road with just enough room to pass.  It was paved – more or less – when I drove it, but was a dusty dirt road in his day, of course.

Approaching the community of Oak Grove it becomes a striped two-lane road . . .

. . . but turns back into a one lane road again going across Salt Valley and on up into the foothills.

Many miles on J.K., in 1874 via ferry, and me, in 1990 on a bridge, crossed the Stanislaus River and I stopped to take a picture from the current bridge built in 1978.  We were having a serious drought in 1990 and New Melones Reservoir was down to the original Stanislaus River at this time leaving remains of old roads and an old bridge above water.  The lower road on the left was the old Parrott’s Ferry road leading down to the ferry crossing.  The higher road was the old Parrott’s Ferry Road which crossed the river on a bridge built in 1903 seen beyond the ferry crossing.  As you can see by the high water mark, both old roads and the old bridge would be far under water when the reservoir is full.    

After I took this picture, I drove down there, located the old ferry crossing, and walked across the old bridge. J

Farther on, still heading to Yosemite, great Grandfather traveled up what is now called Twist Road and, at this point, wrote in his journal about seeing a beautiful sunset here.  The picture was taken looking west over the San Joaquin Valley.

A little on, then, he would have been traveling along the old Moccasin Creek road.

Another snap of the old Moccasin Creek Road running alongside what used to be Moccasin Creek, but is now part of Don Pedro Reservoir.  Great Grandfather would not have seen very much of the scenery along here, however, as it was after 9:00 at night when he was on this road.  That’s too bad because it is pretty.  I had to walk the road.  It’s no longer driven as it disappears under the waters of the reservoir about a mile in off the current highway. 

View from “Rim of the World” lookout off hwy 120 on the way to Yosemite.  The Tuolumne River below, and Jawbone Ridge straight ahead.  Great Grandfather would have seen it just as it looks today, even back then.

And now on to a pretty, but sometimes kind’a scary, backroad called Wards Ferry Road (in red here) which runs 26.6 miles from Tuolumne Road in Sonora, Calif. to highway 120 at Groveland, Calif., 9 of those miles twisting and turning through a steep 1000-foot-deep canyon on a one-lane road with no turnouts.

The first and last parts of the drive are lovely.

An old stone bridge.

An historic chapel by the side of the road.

So lush and green.  Obviously, it was spring when this photo was taken.

Big old Oak trees.

White fences.

But uh-oh, what’s this?

I love the part about “not recommended”.  You’d be surprised how many drivers think that doesn’t mean them.  Hello?  What part of “Steep grades, narrow one lane road, no turnouts” did you not understand? 

And down we go into the canyon . . .

That’s a scary edge!  

And yep!  That bridge is where we’re headed.  Wait till you see it.

Wards Ferry Bridge aka ‘Graffiti Bridge’ crossing the Tuolumne River.  Some people think it’s art.  To me it’s just ugly graffiti.  What a shame.  Unfortunately it’s a popular draw now for folks to come see (and probably add more graffiti). :-/

So let’s look at something prettier like this peaceful scene along Tuolumne Road North.

I’ve followed many such lovely backroads in Tuolumne County but I think we’ve driven enough backroad miles for now, so I’ll save the rest for another time.

:->

La Nightingail